2.
Talk to wildlife, forestry
specialists now for CRP
3.
Tanker rollover spills ethanol
in Muscatine
HUXLEY
RESIDENTS URGED TO CONSERVE WATER
MEDIA CONTACT:
City of Huxley, (515) 597-2562; or Janet Gastineau, DNR, at (515) 725-0334 or [log in to unmask]
HUXLEY – The City of Huxley is
asking residents to be prepared, as further flooding may threaten the town’s
drinking water system. The city’s drinking water well field is currently
underwater, but the well heads are still a foot above flood waters.
City officials fear there is a
potential risk to the drinking water wells’ electrical components if further
flooding should take place. If this were to occur, the wells may not be able to
produce safe drinking water. In addition, if repairs are required on the wells,
due to the flooded well field, it may take several days to complete the work.
The city of
Huxley is asking residents to have two days’ worth of drinking water on-hand in
the event of well malfunction. Customers are asked to conserve all water
possible. This includes:
·
not watering
lawns, plants or gardens
·
not washing
cars
·
running
dishwashers and washing machines only with full loads
·
reducing the
length of showers
·
turning off
the water while brushing teeth or shaving
·
limiting water
use as much as possible.
Repairing
leaking faucets and constantly running toilets also reduces water use. Customers
are also asked to reduce all other non-critical uses of water during this
period.
The well field currently shows
signs of receding but officials wanted to inform residents in advance to allow
time for preparation.
For more
information, the City of Huxley may be contacted at (515) 597-2562.
# # #
TALK TO
WILDLIFE, FORESTRY SPECIALISTS NOW FOR CRP
MEDIA CONTACT:
Todd Bogenschutz at (515) 432-2823 or [log in to unmask],
or Kelly Smith at (515) 281-6247 or [log in to unmask]
DES
MOINES—Talking to a DNR biologist or forester can pay off for landowners who
want to enroll marginal cropland in the Conservation Reserve Program
(CRP).
“Our private
lands biologists and foresters know plants,” said Kelly Smith, coordinator of
the DNR’s private lands program. “So they can help landowners find the best
vegetation mix to meet their conservation and wildlife
goals.
“If someone
wants to create a haven for pheasant, we can help them meet that goal,” she
said. “If they are more interested in seeding down an erosive hill to prevent a
pond from silting in, we can help them pick a seeding
mix.”
The DNR’s
specialists offer technical advice tailored to each landowner’s objectives. They
will base their recommendations on the landowner’s tolerance for required
maintenance, the specific types of wildlife they want to attract and other
factors.
The CRP is a
competitive program where landowners offer a bid and USDA accepts only the top
bids – the ones with greatest benefits to control soil erosion, improve water
quality and increase wildlife habitat. Because of their familiarity with USDA
program requirements, the DNR specialists can help landowners develop a
competitive bid offer.
“The USDA
gives priority to land in areas that require improved water quality, and areas
that need more wildlife habitat created,” Smith said. The areas were identified
as state or national priority areas based on Iowa’s 2009 Wildlife Action Plan
and the 2008 lists of impaired streams and lakes.
Maps of the
priority areas and a fact sheet on the program are available on the DNR website
at www.iowadnr.gov/crp.html. Look
for a list of biologists and foresters on the website,
too.
Landowners
receive an annual rental payment by enrolling eligible land in the general CRP.
Signups are taken in local USDA Farm Service Agency offices from now until Aug.
27.
# #
#
TANKER
ROLLOVER SPILLS ETHANOL IN MUSCATINE
MEDIA CONTACT:
Terry Jones, DNR Washington field office, at (319)
653-2135.
MUSCATINE
—Cleanup continues Thursday in Muscatine following an ethanol tanker truck
rollover accident Wednesday afternoon.
An Iowa
Tanklines truck hauling 7,800 gallons of ethanol rolled into a ditch, leaking an
estimated 500 to 750 gallons of ethanol. The accident took place near an unnamed
tributary that drains to Muscatine Slough. About 10 minutes after the accident,
the Iowa Department of Transportation installed a berm to dam the ethanol.
A contractor
later pumped the ethanol, which mixed with storm water in the ditch, from both
behind and in front of the dam. However, some ethanol likely reached the unnamed
stream before the dam was installed.
The DNR will
inspect the site again Thursday for any impacts to the stream and slough. No
dead fish have been observed.
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